Church-State Watchdog Group Warns Lawmakers That Provision Is Constitutionally Problematic

A bill introduced in the Louisiana House of Representatives that purports to protect public school students’ right to pray instead endangers rights and will likely spark legal challenges, says Americans United for Separation of Church and State. Read more

Three civil liberties organizations today asked the Colorado Supreme Court to strike down a Douglas County voucher program that provides public education funds to private religious schools.

Americans United for Separation of Church and State, the American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado and the American Civil Liberties Union filed a petition today with Colorado’s high court, asking it to accept the case and overturn a Colorado Court of Appeals ruling that upheld the program.Read more

Church-State Watchdog Group Says No More Exemptions Are Needed To Health-Care Regulations

Apr 9, 2013

The federal government should protect Americans’ access to contraceptive coverage, Americans United for Separation of Church and State has told the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

In comments submitted to HHS, Americans United urged the department to reject demands from conservative religious interest groups that seek to curb access to contraceptives under the guise of religious liberty. Read more

Americans United for Separation of Church and State has told federal courts now considering the constitutionality of the Obama administration’s birth-control mandate that employers do not have a religious liberty right to deny their employees access to contraceptives. Read more

U.S. Is Not A Theocracy Where Sectarian Groups Dominate The Law, AU’s Lynn Tells Rally At Supreme Court

Mar 27, 2013

The U.S. Supreme Court today is hearing oral arguments in a case about the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), a federal law that bars federal government recognition of the marriages of same-sex couples. Yesterday, the justices heard arguments in a case dealing with Proposition 8, a California constitutional amendment that removed the right of same-sex couples to marry.

The Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, gave the following address today at the “United for Marriage” rally in front of the Supreme Court building. Read more

State Officials Agree To Broad Reforms At All Publicly Funded Child-Care Agencies

Mar 20, 2013

Kentucky state government has agreed to make broad changes in its child-care system to protect children against religious coercion, indoctrination and discrimination in order to settle a bitterly fought, decade-long federal lawsuit filed by state taxpayers. Read more

Church-State Watchdog Group Calls On State Supreme Court To Invalidate Plan

Mar 15, 2013

Louisiana’s school voucher law should be struck down because it subsidizes religion with public funds and lacks accountability standards, Americans United for Separation of Church and State has told the state supreme court. Read more

Corporations do not have a religious liberty right to opt out of providing health insurance plans that include contraceptive coverage, Americans United for Separation of Church and State has told a federal appeals court. Read more